


This Might Tickle

by lightswoodmagic (sarah_writes)



Series: Uni AU [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anatomy class, First Kiss, Fluff, Forensic anthropology student Louis, Louis is ticklish, M/M, Nursing student Harry, SO MUCH FLUFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 14:15:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19358656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarah_writes/pseuds/lightswoodmagic
Summary: “You could say that. Oh, by the way, green eyes is staring at you again.”Louis’ head snapped up so quickly his neck cracked, his fingers freezing where they rested against the keys. His eyes flitted quickly around the room before coming to rest somewhere to his left.There he was, staring directly at Louis with a straw between his lips. The beautiful man that had happened to seemingly appear everywhere Louis had been for all of last semester until chocolate coloured curls contained by soft buns, bright patterned shirts, and green eyes had seemed to follow Louis even as he slept.Or, Louis' been admiring Harry from afar until they become study partners for their first year anatomy class.





	This Might Tickle

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! 
> 
> This fic is super self indulgent because I've never written a uni AU before. It's my first fic for Wordplay, and I'm so excited! My next four fics, along with this one, will be a lil' series revolving around five different college classes. 
> 
> A massive thank you to Sus for running Wordplay, Caroline for always just making me feel better, and everyone in my group chats for all of the love and encouragement.
> 
> xx

“Fuck fuck _fuck,”_ Louis swore, weaving his way through a crowd of people as he darted down the hallway. He could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, most likely Zayn texting him to find out where he was, but he didn’t even have time to check. “Late, so late,” he mumbled, shouting a quick apology over his shoulder at the man he’d almost knocked down as he swung around a corner.

It was only his third anatomy class for the semester and he was already late, but it wasn’t his fault. He’d woken up slowly, wrapped in his duvet as he’d revelled in the happy mystery of the silence that filled the hall outside his room. This early in the morning, there was usually a stampede of tired, shuffling feet passing by as other students fumbled their way to their early morning classes after nights filled with alcohol and mornings filled with regret. He should’ve realised something was wrong, but it wasn’t until he’d thought to check how much time he had before his alarm went off that he understood. His phone had died, and when he’d glanced at the clock sitting on his desk, he’d shot out of bed with the sudden alertness that only came when he had ten fucking minutes to get to class. He’d gotten dressed, grabbed his laptop and portable phone charger, plugged his phone in as he jammed them in his pocket, and sprinted out the door before he really knew what he was doing.

Now, he panted as he doubled over to catch his breath out the front of the room, trying to calm his heart as he thought, for what must’ve been the 100th time, that he really needed to start running again. With one last deep inhale, he quietly turned the handle, pushing open the door as he crept into the room. He kept his head down as he walked quickly to where Zayn was sitting with a spare seat next to him, throwing himself into the empty chair and wincing when it made a loud sound that seemed to echo. 

He chanced a glance up at their anatomy professor Judy where she was standing at the front of the room, eyebrows raised and her mouth set in a firm line. He shrugged sheepishly at her, mouthing a quick apology and relaxing slightly when he saw the corner of her mouth twitch upwards. She continued on as if nothing had happened as Louis opened his laptop and turned to Zayn.

“Sorry mate, my phone died because the plug fell slightly out of the wall,” Louis whispered, his fingers tapping irritably against the cheap wood holding his computer as he waited for it to turn on. “Honestly, I don’t even know how it happened, but it was only like, half a centimetre out of the socket and I swear - .” Zayn sighed beside him before shooting a withering glare at Louis’ still fidgeting fingers, and Louis slowed his movements before carefully pulling his hand back to rest in his lap. “Okay, I know you hate mornings but normally you’re not _this_ irritable. Run out of hair products? I was gonna say your hair looked a bit shit today.” Louis schooled his face into a look of slight concern when Zayn turned slowly with a look that somehow made Louis regret every decision he’d ever made. Besides, there was never a day when his best mate looked anything less than perfect, so the insult didn’t even _count_. Beautiful bastard.

“Liam’s snoring kept me up all night,” Zayn groaned quietly as he turned back with a contrite look as Judy’s gaze stuck on them for a moment too long.

“Why didn’t you just kick him or something?” Louis whispered, bringing up his lecture notes on the screen as Zayn’s eyes stayed glued to the slides at the front of the room. He could hear Judy’s voice in the background, something about bones that he kept tuned out as he continued. “Or pinch his nose? Oh, or just roll him over?”

Zayn snorted as his fingers skated effortlessly over his keyboard. “We’ve only been dating for a couple of weeks. I’m not gonna assault him in his sleep, Lou.”

Louis huffed out a laugh as he shot a glance up to the front of the room. “Two weeks and he’s already staying over? So the date went well last night, obviously,” he quipped, laughing quietly when Zayn looked at him slyly out of the corner of his eye. 

“You could say that. Oh, by the way, green eyes is staring at you again.”

Louis’ head snapped up so quickly his neck cracked, his fingers freezing where they rested against the keys. His eyes flitted quickly around the room before coming to rest somewhere to his left.

There he was, staring directly at Louis with a straw between his lips. The beautiful man that had happened to seemingly appear everywhere Louis had been for all of last semester until chocolate coloured curls contained by soft buns, bright patterned shirts, and green eyes had seemed to follow Louis even as he slept. As Louis held his gaze, the man’s head dropped quickly to the desk, but Louis could see he was smiling slightly as he scrunched his nose. Fuck he was cute. Louis felt it too important to keep to himself.

“Fuck, he’s so _cute_ ,” Louis sighed, resting his elbows on the desk and rubbing his hands together. He let his chin hit his tangled fingers with a _thump_ as he stared across the room. 

Zayn groaned next to him. “Mate, introduce yourself or stop with the pining,” Zayn said flatly, “but either way, stop fucking staring at him across the room. It’s creepy, Lou.”

Louis turned to look back at Zayn just as the man snuck a glance at him, playing with the rings on his fingers, his smoothie back on his desk. “Excuse me, I’m just admiring from afar.”

“Yeah, like you have been for the last six months,” Zayn shot back quietly, his eyes still staring straight ahead. 

He wasn’t wrong. The first time Louis had seen him, he’d been sitting on the lawn laughing with his mates, his head thrown back and his curls hanging halfway down his back. Louis had tripped over his own feet. Ever since then, it was like he couldn’t stay away, albeit completely by accident. He saw him at the cafe on campus, in the library, walking across the lawn looking like a fucking _model_ , and wandering through the halls, but even then, Louis still hadn’t found the courage to talk to him, regardless of the small glances and shy smiles they’d shared. He was too sweet, too beautiful, too kind from the interactions Louis had seen, and for the first time in his life, Louis was too intimidated, too nervous to even say hi. Zayn hadn’t stopped poking fun at him, though. 

“He’s too pretty,” Louis whined.

“Well then are you going to shut up and pay attention? You’re gonna have to know all the bones in the body to be a forensic anthropologist.”

Louis sighed but figured one last look wouldn’t kill him. He snuck what was going to be his final glance, but his gaze stuck when he saw the man with a slight frown on his face. He watched as he patted his shirt and jeans, picking up his laptop to look underneath, shifting to look on the floor as his frown turned into more of a pout. 

Then Louis saw it; the black pen pushed delicately through the man’s bun. He let a small grin tug at his lips just as their eyes locked, and Louis couldn’t resist. He pointed at the top of his hair, raising his eyebrows as he picked up his own pen to get his point across. The man startled for a moment before he reached up, looking away and grappling slightly before his eyes widened with a happy smile. He pulled the pen out of his hair just as he looked back to Louis and giggled. _God._ Before he could help himself, Louis dropped his eye in a quick wink, and when he saw the flush making its way up the man’s neck, he grinned at him. He watched as he picked up his drink to hide his smile, but Louis could still see his dimples, and the only thing that stopped him from getting up to poke one was Judy’s voice.  

“Okay, everyone listen up!” her voice rang out loud across the classroom, and Louis sat up to actually pay attention for the first time all day. “Now, I have a small assignment regarding what we’ve been talking about today. I need you to pick a partner and follow the instructions set out in the course guide. It’s pretty simple, but I’ve always found it a really handy way for students to learn all the bones in the human body,” she explained, her smile turning slightly wicked as she continued, “but I want you all to partner up with someone you’ve never met before.” Louis’ stomach dropped slightly. He liked meeting new people, honestly, but group projects were always a risk. He at least knew that Zayn would pull his weight, and now he had to _pick someone._ Ugh. “It’s a good way to meet more people in your course, maybe learn about a different discipline or job prospect, and learn what it’s like to work with other people,” she dropped her gaze to look sternly at them over her glasses, and Louis’ eyes flicked back to beautiful man just in time to see him duck his head, “because sometimes it’s a nightmare, and you need to prepare.” She straightened suddenly and clapped her hands together as Louis snickered when the sound made Zayn startle in his seat. “Alright, it’s not due for a few weeks but make sure you find a partner soon. That’s all for today, I’ll see you next week! Hopefully on time, Mr Tomlinson,” she added, sending a small smile towards Louis.

“Sorry Judy, won’t happen again,” he called back with a wave and a sharp grin. There was a rush of movement all around him as he stayed seated, students rushing off to their next classes or to go back to bed. He stretched languidly in his seat, squealing when Zayn poked him directly in his belly button. “What the _fuck_ , man?” 

“He’s coming, he’s coming over,” Zayn hissed, quickly gathering up his laptop and shoving it in his backpack.

“What? Who?” Louis hissed back, but as soon as he looked up, he flailed in his seat in his haste to get up. He slammed the top of my laptop down and jumped up, standing awkwardly at his desk until –

“Hi.” Oh god, he was even more attractive up close.

“Hi,” Louis replied weakly, ignoring the snort of laughter from his right.

A small scrunch of a nose, a hand playing with a bun, and a smile so soft that Louis felt his pulse race. He was _fucked._

“‘m Harry,” the man, _Harry_ , said quietly, and extended his hand out. 

Louis reached out to shake it, exhaling sharply through his teeth when Harry’s hand engulfed his. “Louis,” he managed to get out. He could see Zayn shaking with silent laughter next to him, but he was proud of himself for saying any kind of word, thank you very fucking much. 

Harry grinned at him, his dimples appearing again just before he spoke. “I was wondering if you had a partner yet?” Harry asked. Louis knew he was staring, and he saw Harry falter slightly before he continued, “for the...project?” he asked tentatively, and Louis shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“ _Oh,_ no, no I - I don’t yet,” he replied, cursing himself for how he couldn’t seem to form a simple sentence. “Do you want to be partners?” he continued, his body relaxing when Harry smiled brightly at him. He hadn’t even realised how tense he was. 

“I’d love to,” Harry said, happiness evident in his voice. “Can I grab your number? Just so we can organise a time to catch up,” he added hurriedly, and Louis delighted in watching the blush return across Harry’s cheeks. 

After they’d exchanged numbers and set up a time for the next day in the library, Louis was absolutely smitten. He watched Harry duck out of the room with a small wave before gathering up his things and moving towards the exit. 

“Well that was -”

“Don’t even fucking start, Zayn,” Louis threatened, turning to point accusingly at him. Zayn’s laughter followed him through the halls. 

 

*****

 

“Louis!” Harry laughed, covering his face with his hands. “You _know_ that’s not a bone.” 

Louis grinned across the table at him. “It was a test, Haz. I just had to make sure you remembered!” Louis feigned innocence, winking at Harry when he peeked through his fingers. He’d never tire of seeing him blush, and he had to stop himself from reaching out to trace his fingertips along Harry’s flushed cheeks. 

“Okay okay, we can’t keep getting distracted,” Harry protested, “we _have_ to come up with a way to remember the bones in the foot, c’mon. It’s where you keep getting stuck.”

“Alright love,” Louis said easily, freezing when his brain caught up with his mouth. This was their fourth study session, and so far Louis had been so careful, biting his tongue every time he went to call Harry _love_ or _darling,_ twisting his hands together every time he wanted to poke Harry’s dimples or run his fingers through his hair. He was wearing it down today, soft waves falling over his shoulders, and Louis had almost rubbed his hands raw to stop himself from wrapping a ringlet around his finger and tugging gently. “Uh, okay, so. How about we try and see how many we can remember off the bat,” Louis rushed out as he fidgeted with his pen. When he looked up, Harry was looking at him curiously, but his face cleared as they made eye contact.

“Okay! You go first,” Harry said, but Louis’ mind went blank when Harry blinked at him, his eyes wide and _so green_ , his teeth digging into his bottom lip, long fingers fidgeting with the ends of his hair. “Louis? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah Haz, everything’s great,” Louis smiled warmly, his heart skipping slightly when Harry smiled back, his face fond. “Okay, so,” he closed his eyes and sighed, “the distal, middle, and proximal phalanges, the five metatarsal, the medial, middle, and lateral cuneiform.”

Louis stopped when he realised he couldn’t remember anything else, groaning into the open air of the library as he heard Harry giggle. He kept his eyes squeezed shut even as he heard rustling, the scraping of a chair. He opened them slowly when his ears pricked up to the sound of the chair next to him being pulled out, and he lolled his head onto his shoulder to see Harry grinning at him. 

“C’mon, give me your foot.”

Louis’ eyebrows shot up, his body quickly following suit until he wasn’t slumped over, his back ramrod straight. “What?” 

Harry gestured at him, inclining his head. “Come on, take off your shoe and give me your foot.”

“Harry,” Louis said slowly, “I am not taking my shoe off. My feet are gonna be all gross and sweaty, I’m not even wearing socks!”

“Please Lou,” Harry whined, and Louis knew he’d lost when he pouted at him, looking up at him through his lashes. “I don’t care, I just want to help, yeah?”

Louis studied Harry for a moment before he heaved a sigh, groaning as he kicked off his shoe. He thanked every deity conceivable that it was a cool day and his feet didn’t seem to be _too_ disgusting. “Okay, but just remember that you asked for this!” he exclaimed as he swung his foot up to rest on Harry’s thigh, wriggling his toes as Harry giggled.

“Yay!” he cheered, and Louis couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay, this _might_ tickle.” It was the only warning Louis got before Harry’s fingers were purposefully tickling the bottom of his foot.

“ _Harry,_ stop - _gah_ , stop it,” Louis choked out, mortified by the way he was giggling madly but not being able to stop. He got a brief look at the expression of utter delight on Harry’s face as he twisted to try to escape, but Harry’s hand gripped his ankle lightly. “Oh my god, Harry it’s a _library_ \- ARGH - stop, stop it,” he breathed out through his laughter, heaving in deep breaths as Harry finally stopped, running his thumb firmly along the arch of Louis’ foot. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Harry said, but he was grinning widely and Louis’ heart felt incredibly full. “Alright so,” Harry’s thumb shifted to press more firmly against the inside arch of his foot, “what’s here?” 

Louis forced out the breath he was holding. He didn’t have any kind of foot fetish and even though he always believed in each to their own, he’d never quite understood it himself. However, it was the first time Harry had touched him skin to skin, and Louis could feel the heat of his hand where it curled under the flat of his foot and the subtle strength from his fingertips pressing into the top to hold him still. 

“Ahh, the first metatarsal,” Louis stuttered out a breath when Harry’s thumb stroked along his skin, and he realised what he was doing, “then the medial cuneiform, then the - the navicular,” he rushed out. 

“Great,” Harry said happily, and then his index finger was pressing into the opposite side. “Now what about here?”

Louis tried to think, but it was impossible. “I can’t remember,” he admitted, and Harry’s face softened.

“The cuboid,” he answered for Louis, and his index finger moved further towards his heel, “and here?” 

“I don’t know,” Louis said quietly. 

“The calcaneus,” Harry responded just as softly, and then his hand was shifting, his finger stroking lightly over the triangle tattoo peeking out underneath Louis’ rolled up jeans. “I like this.” 

Louis sat, frozen, and he was sure Harry could hear his heart pounding in his chest. “Thank you,” he murmured, shivering slightly as Harry’s hand moved to cup his ankle and slide up his calf. They locked eyes, Harry’s gaze intense and searching. Harry, who Louis had come to learn so much about over the last two weeks. Harry, who wanted to be a nurse because all he wanted to do was help people. Harry, who’s eyes lit up whenever he talked about his family. Harry, who worked three jobs. Harry, who was the kindest, most genuine person Louis had ever met, the most beautiful man he’d ever seen, and the only person Louis had ever felt so strongly about so quickly. 

It was an easy decision to drop his foot back onto the floor and move his chair closer until one of his knees was gently slotted in between Harry’s. It wasn’t until he was there, his hands resting awkwardly in his own lap that he realised he didn’t have a game plan. 

“ _Fuck,_ I’m sorry,” he blurted out, moving to scoot his chair back when Harry’s hand shot out to cover both of his. 

“Louis,” he heard Harry murmur, and when he risked a glance up, Harry was so close he could see the darker flecks of green in his eyes. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Louis laughed, and he couldn’t help but grin as he turned one of his hands over to tentatively lace their fingers together. He sighed when he felt a reassuring squeeze. 

His eyes fluttered shut when Harry’s free hand came up to cup his face, and he startled slightly when their noses brushed together; he hadn’t realised he’d moved _so close_. He could feel Harry’s warm breath against his lips, his thumb running slowly along Louis’ cheekbone as his fingers played with the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. He tilted his head slightly, moving closer to Harry as he reached up to settle his hand against his neck. He could feel Harry’s pulse racing as he let out a shaky breath, and it was Harry’s voice that broke the silence. 

“Is this okay?”

Louis nuzzled their noses together. “More than okay,” he murmured, and then there was no more space between them. 

Harry’s lips were warm and soft where they pressed against his, a chaste kiss that lit up Louis all the way to the tips of his fingers. Louis pulled back slightly before taking Harry’s lower lip between his, reaching up to tangle his fingers lightly in his hair like he’d wanted to since he first saw him. It was somehow softer than it looked, and Louis sighed into the kiss as Harry squeezed his hand one last time and dropped it, moving to fit it into the curve of Louis’ waist. As their lips moved together carefully, Louis let his tongue flick out to taste and felt rather than heard the resounding groan Harry let out. It turned slightly desperate after that, Harry gripping at his waist and nipping at his top lip. Louis shifted closer, wrapping his arm around Harry’s neck as he licked into his mouth, swallowing the tiny moan Harry couldn’t contain. Just as Louis felt Harry’s hand skim down his waist and along his thigh, heat blooming everywhere Harry touched, a very pointed cough made them startle apart. 

Louis turned quickly to see who they’d scandalised to see Zayn smirking at him, Liam flushed red beside him. Louis took a second to flip them off as he tried to calm his breathing, and a thumb running over his bottom lip made his eyes dart back to Harry. He looked gorgeous, kiss swollen lips and dilated pupils, and Louis couldn’t help but lean forward to kiss him again. He made sure to keep it short and sweet, humming against Harry’s lips before he pulled away to kiss both of his cheeks. Harry’s dimples popped out as he grinned, and now that he _finally_ could, Louis reached up to poke one.

“Do you think, maybe, we could meet up again next week?” Louis asked, fully aware of how breathy his voice sounded and not caring in the slightest. 

Harry’s face seemed to twist slightly in confusion, even as his fingertips stroked along Louis’ jawline. “I - of course? We have like, four weeks of study dates planned.”

“Well maybe we could add an extra one,” Louis said casually, leaning into Harry’s touch when he cupped Louis’ face in his hand, “maybe, dinner?”

Harry’s face lit up and he leant forward to kiss Louis again. “I’d love to have dinner with you, Louis.” Louis exhaled with a happy sigh. “Do you think this is what Judy had in mind for teamwork?” Harry mused.

Louis opened his mouth to answer, but Harry’s lips were pressed against his again, and suddenly his anatomy class was the last thing on his mind. 

He could apologise to Judy later. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I'd love it if you let me know what you think :)
> 
> Find me on Tumblr [here](https://lightwoodsmagic.tumblr.com/) and feel free to come and chat!
> 
> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge for the prompt "foot". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/foot), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge (including years 1 and 2), [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works). You can also find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/185709101043/wordplay-2019-every-week-for-five-weeks-a-prompt).
> 
> Thank you! xx


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